Early to the party were socially conscious entrepreneurs, who hoped to create what they deemed a more sustainable economy. Many joined the Social Venture Network, a group that connects entrepreneurs, investors, and others. One was Gary Hirshberg, who co-founded Stonyfield Farm, the organic dairy now 85%-owned by
Danone
(BN.France).

Good Eats: Socially conscious entrepreneurs who back sustainability are benefiting from changing public tastes.
William Waitzman for Barron's

Last week, Hirshberg told the Social Venture Network's fall conference that organic food could become even more popular as it gets cheaper. That will happen when producers have scale, and when more of their products are sold by mass retailers, such as
Wal-Mart StoresWMT -0.24944567627494457%Wal-Mart Stores Inc.U.S.: NYSEUSD71.98
-0.18-0.24944567627494457%
/Date(1438376462726-0500)/
Volume (Delayed 15m)
:
7686953AFTER HOURSUSD71.84
-0.14-0.1944984717977216%
Volume (Delayed 15m)
:
241418
P/E Ratio
14.482897384305835Market Cap
231815133032.849
Dividend Yield
2.722978605168102% Rev. per Employee
220690More quote details and news »WMTinYour ValueYour ChangeShort position
(WMT) and
Costco
(COST). Coupons and discounting could also boost affordability. Hirshberg said that organic food's $31 billion in annual sales accounts for just 5% of the total U.S. food market.

Take privately owned Earthbound Farm, which sells organic lettuce and such. Two decades ago, Costco agreed to sell Earthbound's goods without the term "organic" on the packaging because consumers considered that word as synonymous with "overpriced." Earthbound Farm complied, and its sales soared. It later reintroduced "organic" to its labels, gaining scale and reducing prices. Now 47% of the bagged spring greens sold in the U.S. are organic.

The Social Venture Network conference was dominated by food producers and associated companies. But there are plenty of "sustainability-aware" companies busily incubating, including energy and apparel firms. Given time, those could be tasty prospects too.

-- Leslie P. Norton

Last Week: Review

Winds of War?

Israel mobilized troops and kept up air and artillery attacks on the Gaza Strip in response to escalating rocket attacks from Gaza. Midweek, Israeli airstrikes killed Hamas's top military commander. A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said, "all options that allow us to cause serious damage to Hamas and other terrorist organizations are on the table," including a ground operation. Rockets from Gaza came close to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Egypt recalled its ambassador from Israel, and its prime minister visited Gaza.

Getting Constructive

Congressional leaders said they agreed to fast-paced talks to reach a deal that would avoid $500 billion in spending cuts and tax increases known as the fiscal cliff that are set to take effect on Jan. 1. Calling a meeting with President Obama "very constructive," they said both parties were prepared to make concessions on taxes and entitlements.

Uncertain Markets

U.S. stocks recovered from three-month lows on some hope about a fiscal-cliff deal but still fell on the week amid Mideast tensions and growing concerns about the global economy. The Nasdaq sustained its longest weekly losing streak in more than three years. Treasury prices rose on the week.

Nuclear Danger Sign

Iran is ready to sharply expand its underground uranium enrichment after installing all the centrifuges at a site built to contain them, a U.N. nuclear report said. Obama said last week he believed there was still "a window of time" to peacefully resolve the issue with the rogue state. Meanwhile, the U.S. will overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's top oil producer by 2017, the IEA said.

Record Fine for BP

BP agreed to pay $4.5 billion, the largest U.S. criminal penalty ever, and accepted criminal responsibility for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 workers and caused the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. BP already took a $38.1 billion charge for what it estimated to be its maximum cost from the accident, but will add a $3.85 billion charge. The government is pursuing civil claims charging BP with "gross negligence," which could result in as much as $20 billion in additional fines.

A Window to Benghazi

Ex-CIA director David Petraeus testified that classified intelligence showed the raid that killed four Americans at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was a terrorist attack, but the administration withheld the information from the public to avoid alerting the groups that U.S. intelligence was on their trail.

Report Blames Corzine

A House Republican report blamed former MF Global CEO Jon Corzine for poor decisions that led to the firm's collapse. A spokesman for Corzine said he "acted in good faith," and all key business decisions were subject to board review.